Ecclesiastes 5

1 Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God; for to draw nigh to hear is better than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they know not that they do evil.

Keep your foot, whenever you go to the house of God; and [when you are] near to hear, let your sacrifice [be] better than the gift of fools: for they know not that they are doing evil.

2 Be not rash with thy month, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God; for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.

Be not hasty with your mouth, and let not your heart be swift to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven above, and you upon earth: therefore let your words be few.

3 For a dream cometh with a multitude of business; and a fool’s voice with a multitude of words.

For through the multitude of trial a dream comes; and a fool's voice is with a multitude of words.

4 When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou vowest.

Whenever you shall vow a vow to God, defer not to pay it; for [he has] no pleasure in fools: pay you therefore whatever you shall have vowed.

5 Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.

[It is] better that you should not vow, than that you should vow and not pay.

6 Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?

Suffer not your mouth to lead your flesh to sin; and say not in the presence of God, It was an error: lest God be angry at your voice, and destroy the works of your hands.

7 For [thus it cometh to pass] through the multitude of dreams and vanities and many words: but fear thou God.

For [there is evil] in a multitude of dreams and vanities and many words: but fear you God.

8 If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and the violent taking away of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for one higher than the high regardeth; and there be higher than they.

If you should see the oppression of the poor, and the wresting of judgment and of justice in the land, wonder not at the matter: for [there is] a high one to watch over him that is high, and high ones over them.

9 Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king [himself] is served by the field.

Also the abundance of the earth is for every one: the king [is dependent on] the tilled field.

10 He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this also is vanity.

He that loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver: and who has loved gain, in the abundance thereof? this is also vanity.

11 When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what advantage is there to the owner thereof, saving the beholding [of them] with his eyes?

In the multitude of good they are increased that eat it: and what virtue has the owner, but the right of beholding [it] with his eyes?

12 The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the fulness of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.

The sleep of a servant is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but to one who is satiated with wealth, there is none that suffers him to sleep.

13 There is a grievous evil, which I have seen under the sun, [namely], riches kept by the owner thereof to his hurt:

There is an infirmity which I have seen under the sun, [namely], wealth kept for its owner to his hurt.

14 and those riches perish by evil adventure; and if he hath begotten a son, there is nothing in his hand.

And that wealth shall perish in an evil trouble: and [the man] begets a son, and there is nothing in his hand.

15 As he came forth of his mother’s womb, naked shall he go again as he came, and shall take nothing for his labour, which he may carry away in his hand.

As he came forth naked from his mother's womb, he shall return back as he came, and he shall receive nothing for his labor, that it should go [with him] in his hand.

16 And this also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that he laboureth for the wind?

And this is also an evil infirmity: for as he came, so also shall he return: and what is his gain, for which he vainly labors?

17 All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he is sore vexed and hath sickness and wrath.

Yes, all his days are in darkness, and in mourning, and much sorrow, and infirmity, and wrath.

18 Behold, that which I have seen to be good and to be comely is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labour, wherein he laboureth under the sun, all the days of his life which God hath given him: for this is his portion.

Behold, I have seen good, that it is a fine thing [for a man] to eat and to drink, and to see good in all his labor in which he may labor under the sun, [all] the number of the days of his life which God has given to him: for it is his portion.

19 Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.

Yes, and [as for] every man to whom God has given wealth and possessions, and has given him power to eat thereof, and to receive his portion, and to rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God.

20 For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth [him] in the joy of his heart.

For he shall not much remember the days of his life; for God troubles him in the mirth of his heart.